


Together

by Scorpius_Wears_Short_Skirts



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Animal Abuse, Child Abuse, Chimeras, F/M, Fix-It, Greed's Chimeras adopt the hell out of Nina, Human Experimentation, I'm Sorry, M/M, May Have Made it Worse, Nina Lives AU, Not A Fix-It, Polyamory, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Unconventional Families, Unconventional Relationship, animal testing, kinda both, slight AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-25
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2018-09-02 05:46:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8653150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scorpius_Wears_Short_Skirts/pseuds/Scorpius_Wears_Short_Skirts
Summary: Instead of dying at Scar's hand, Nina runs away and survives.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is mainly based on the Manga/Brotherhood universe, with one tweak to the timeline to give Nina time to grow.  
> In the 2003 Anime Nina and Alexander were fused winter 1910-1911, about four years before Lab 5 goes boom in 1914 allowing Greed and His Chimeras to escape. Aside from that, this will be entirely based in Manga/Brotherhood!Verse, though it will probably branch off from canon.
> 
> Sorry for the stiff beginning, I didn't want to write out the whole episode...

Everything hurt. Her body felt all wrong. Daddy said they would play today, after Nina helped him with work. She loved helping her Daddy, but now she hurt and she couldn’t see very well. Fuzzy shapes melded together in the dark. Why was it so dark? She was afraid of the dark, but Daddy was here with her. Alexander was with her too. She couldn’t see him at all, but she knew her dog was here. She always felt better with Alexander.

 

Big Brother and Bigger Brother showed up soon after, and she heard them talk to each other for a while until she noticed she was being talked to. Everything was loud and distracting, but she tried her best to listen.

 

“That person over there is Edward.” Daddy said.

 

“That... person… Ed… ward.” She repeated. Of course it was Edward, who else would it be? Maybe Daddy was being silly. Her voice sounded wrong though, and it was difficult to pass words through a mouth she wasn’t used to. “That person… Edward.” She tried again, hoping it would make Daddy happy. “Big Brother Ed!” She declared happily, realizing a bit late that if her Big Brothers were here that they could all play together.

 

They didn’t get to play together at all. Big Brother started hurting Daddy, and Nina got scared. Bigger Brother put a stop to it, for which she was thankful. She didn’t want the to fight, and she didn’t want Daddy to hurt. 

 

The brothers left and soon after another person showed up. Nina didn’t recognize him, and couldn’t see him clearly. She could smell him though. He smelled the same as when Daddy had been bleeding earlier. She was afraid of him, even more so when Daddy started yelling at the man.

 

The man put his hand over Daddy's face, and Daddy fell down. The scent of pain was everywhere now.

 

“Daddy’s hurting…” She said, nudging her father’s bloody hand with her snout, staining her fur as tears fell. “Daddy hurts…”

 

The man put his hand on her head, and she shied away, sprinting out of the door awkwardly on four legs as she couldn’t stand properly anymore. She ran nearly blind, following light as it was the clearest thing she could see until she made it outside. There were two men on the ground, still and hurting just like her father but she couldn’t stop to check on them.

 

She ran as far as she could, not wanting the man to find her. By the time she had to stop she could barely breathe. Every bone ached, and the rain had made her cold and wet, even though it had stopped for now. She was hungry and thirsty now too, and she moved to drink from a puddle before she could stop herself. She noticed a blurry reflection in the water once she had thought to look, and it cheered her up a little to see the white furry body.

 

“There… you are… Alex… ander…” She knew her dog would never leave her on her own.

 

A low whine answered her, coming from her own throat. Her arms and legs then buckled under her, too strained to hold her up any longer. She noticed two white paws near her, and happily buried her face into the familiar fur, wet though it was. Alexander would always be there for her.

 

 

 

Nina woke to movement under her, and she was drowsily confused before she realized she was in the back of a car. It was dark, probably nighttime. She couldn’t see anything, but by feeling around she became aware there were bars on all sides of her. She still hurt, and she was still hungry, and now she was in a cage too. Did she do something bad? What was happening? Why was it happening? Who had put her here, and where were they going? She fell asleep again after a few minutes, too tired to make sense of anything that was happening.

 

When she woke a second time, she was still in a cage but the ground felt stationary this time. Her cage was among others along the wall of a wide room. There was something slimy in a bowl at the corner. It smelled rotten, but she was starving and moved toward it anyway. A pig-like creature blocked her path, fanning out a feathered frill and screeching. Nina tripped backward and shoved herself in a corner, scared of the animal she had to share space with.

 

“Help… Daddy...” She called quietly, beginning to cry.

 

“Oh hell, they’re using _kids_ now?!” Answered a male voice.

 

The door to the cage creaked open, and Nina yelped as she felt and arm curl around her, dragging her backward out of the cage before the door closed again with a sharp clank. Despite her fear, she turned and burrowed into the first warm, comforting touch she could remember since the pain had started. She had never met the man holding her now, stroking her hair, but he smelled like Alexander which was good. He smelled safe. Overwhelmed, the girl shook and sobbed.

 

“This shit’s gone too far.” The man growled, causing Nina to flinch, and he softened his tone. “You’re okay. You’re safe right now. I’m Dolcetto. Do you know your name?”

 

“Ni... na…” She strained to answer through her tears.

 

“Okay Princess, deep breaths. You’ll be alright.” A woman spoke now, and Nina realized there were five other people in the room.

 

She still couldn’t see much aside from what what was very close to her, but she could see shadows against the light. Most of them looked like men, aside from the one woman who had spoken. The biggest shadow stepped closer, footsteps heavy as he lifted his shirt off over his head and tossed it over. The lady caught it, and she and Dolcetto helped her fit the still-warm shirt onto Nina, who realized only after that she hadn’t been dressed. Where were her old clothes?

 

Oh, right. Her old clothes had torn away when she and Alexander had gone to help Daddy with his work mixing animals. There was a light… Then a gate… Then what happened? She looked down at herself and saw Alexander’s white paws she had taken comfort in before. She backed away from Dolcetto to turn and inspect the rest of her body. Under the threadbare shirt she had just been given there was her dog’s white fur and her own brown hair. 

 

She knew Daddy mixed animals together. Is that what happened? Was she Alexander now? Was Alexander gone, or just a part of her now? Nina felt alone, and began to cry again. Her body hurt because of Daddy. Why did Daddy do this? Was she bad? She found her way back into Dolcetto’s arms, the woman joining the huddle. Nina continued her fit until she was dehydrated and numb, then passed out again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nina is taken to the testing room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has to get worse before it gets any better, I'm afraid.

With time, Nina grew used to the chronic aches of her malformed body. The scientists inflicted far worse pain on them all. She learned to cry less, and appreciate more. On good days, she would wake up between Dolcetto and Martel, who would each give her half of their food. Roa would carry her around on his back for a while, if she asked very nicely. Bido would play tag with her which was fun even though the lizard-man had a bad habit of cheating and going up walls. Dolcetto warned her not to bother Ulchi in case he was in a bad mood, but sometimes the crocodile would recite a short poem that made the grown-ups chuckle. Nina usually didn’t get the joke, but it made her happy when everyone else was happy.

 

On bad days the scientists would take someone. The grown-ups would go quietly without any fuss but a small riot had broken out the first time Nina was called. She had been backed into a corner with her entire new family trying to block her from view. 

 

“She’s just a little girl!” Dolcetto had growled.

 

“Leave her alone!” Martel added.

 

Gunshots from tranquilizers rang out. Everyone fell asleep within minutes, and gloved hands grabbed at her. She bit one of the hands, which withdrew for a second before hitting her between the ears and she stilled. She was shoved in a cage and loaded into a cart. They rolled her through a maze of hallways before stopping in a strange smelling room. It smelled like blood and medicine. She immediately hated it.

 

She was strapped down and muzzled quickly. She struggled at first, but every time she tried to get away the straps would tighten and she was already losing feeling in her paws.

 

“Daddy… Want Daddy…” She voiced, though the image in her mind for the definition of father wasn’t Shou anymore. 

 

“Shut up!” A person shoved Nina’s head down harshly on the table.

 

She notice a different person somewhere behind her, cutting away the shirt Roa had given her. The girl whimpered but said no more, hoping that the strangers would let her go back if she was good. The next few minutes saw a few patches of her fur shaved away, which made room for needles and knives. She hated the needles the most, as they made her whole body burn for a long time. She could hear scribblings of pen against paper, so she tried to focus on that but it was hard. She wanted Dolcetto and Martel to be with her, like a real father and mother.

 

Her real mother left and her real father had only ignored her and then hurt her. Dolcetto made her feel better when she hurt too much or if she was sad. He told her stories, and listen to the ones she made up. Martel had even gotten a pen for her and let her draw on the floor, since she couldn’t get paper too. It was hard for Nina to hold the pen with her paws and she had to put her face close to the floor to see what she was doing, but it was nice to have something creative she could do. They kept her safe when she slept and tried to make her happy when she was sad, just like Alexander. They were how a real family was supposed to be.

 

When she was all stitched up and bandaged again the scientists put her back in the cage on the cart, but they didn’t take her anywhere. They just turned out the lights and left her alone in the dark. She hated the dark. They hadn’t taken off the muzzle either which made her breathing feel muggy and stale. She tried to get the obstruction off, but her fingers barely worked as fingers anymore and they had put a cone around her head which was hard to get around. 

 

At least she wasn’t being poked and prodded anymore.

 

A few hours into her lonely night her ears twitched at the sound of stomping and singing. She couldn't make out words due to the muffling of several walls, but she recognized the voices and they were a comfort.

 

A howl broke through, clearly Dolcetto, and the singing quieted. There was a pause before the howl rose up again and Nina answered instinctively with her own, voice straining to be heard past the muzzle. She could hear where they were, hopefully they could hear her too. She was glad when the singing resumed. Everyone was with her.

 

She would be fine.

 

 

 

There were many nights when the bad people would take her away from Dolcetto and Martel. She would be shaved, injected, cut into, examined, and then left alone in the dark for the night. Sometimes they left her strapped down, others they just left her muzzled and fitted a cone around her neck before shoving her back into the small cage. An hour or two later, her family would sing for her all night. She would hum along if she knew the tune, though she couldn’t stomp if she was tied down. 

 

The morning after, she would be returned to the room with her family, tired and weak. Dolcetto would take the cone and muzzle off, throwing them at the door before turning all of his attention on Nina. Martel would tell her how brave she was and brush the child’s hair with her fingers. They would then pile up together on the floor to sleep. Martel was always cold, but that was okay. Dolcetto was warm enough for all three of them and Nina’s thick fur held heat well.

 

After the much needed nap Nina would be prompted to stretch so she wouldn’t ache more than she always did, and then she could rest as long as she wanted. This became routine for whenever Nina was taken for experimentation.

 

“Why?” She asked once while Martel was braiding her hair.

 

“Why what, Pup?” Dolcetto responded from where he lay on the floor at their side.

 

“Why do they… hurt us? Are… we bad?” She had thought on it for a while and it had been bothering her.

 

Dolcetto sat up, glaring at the far wall. “You aren’t bad, they are. We’re just dumb animals to them.” 

 

A growl began to rise in the man’s chest and Martel left her task to reach over to let a cold hand rest on his shoulder. The tension in his back faded slightly, calming.

 

“That ain’t true though. See, we’re _smart_ animals.” Martel amended. “A lot smarter than those in the cages. I bet you’re even smarter than the people stickin’ pins in us.”

 

“Humans are the real monsters…” Dolcetto mutters, glancing at the floor for a moment before he let out a deep sigh and flopped back on the floor again.

 

“Are you… sad, Daddy? I’m… sorry.” Nina said, leaving Martel’s lap to sidle up to the man instead.

 

Martel and Dolcetto shared a look at the title the little girl had given him, but neither questioned it. A kid as sweet as her needed parents, and they had already been filling that role for months by now anyway. Dolcetto brushed his fingers idly over the white snout in what he hoped was a comforting gesture.

 

“Yeah, I’m sad. I’m used to all of this shit, I was made in it. You deserve so much better than this hell.” He admitted, covering his eyes with his free arm. 

 

The less human you looked, the worse the treatment was. Bido frequently came back from testing with his tail or even a limb missing to test his regeneration. Roa was put through painfully forced induced shifts. Martel was shoved into smaller and smaller spaces until she bruised or even cracked her own ribs from strain. Ulchi never said what happened to him, but it couldn’t be much better. Being made from a dog, Dolcetto had to either be able to locate poison by scent or end up having it force fed to him. An antidote would be provided, but only after hours of convulsions and burning pain.

 

Nina was even more dog than he was. She didn’t seem too damaged yet, at least mentally, but who knew how long that mercy would last. That was part of the reason why he had begun the howls and songs whenever she was taken. As long as she could howl back, he would know she was well enough to be conscious. 

 

Music was possibly the only real freedom they had. He hoped it provided the same comfort to Nina as it did the rest of them.

 

“I’m okay Daddy…” Nina slurred, drawing him from his thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nina gets sick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Litterally _running_ some tests.

About a year after her arrival, give or take given none of the Chimeras could actually keep track of days, Nina came back from her testing sick for the first time. The first thing they all noticed was that she had a bad case of the shivers. Her breathing also became heavier than usual and she wouldn’t eat as much. After a few days Dolcetto had to beg her to eat and drink, but then she would bring it back up and cry and apologize over and over for making a mess.

 

Dolcetto wasn’t stupid. The whole laboratory was sterilized daily, any sickness Nina could have had to be some sort of poisoning. He knew the signs from his own testing, though he’d gotten good at avoiding his own poisoning. Nina didn’t have the same practice. Did they even give her a chance, or did they just pump her full of whatever chemical it was that was hurting her now?

 

For over a week, everyone but Nina only drank once every other day, giving their water rations to the girl to help her flush out her system and keep her kidneys working. She rested more, constantly in Dolcetto or Roa’s lap and covered with any extra clothing the others could spare. She avoided physical contact with the reptiles, as they had none of their own warmth to share.

 

The last straw was when Nina brought up what looked like bloodied coffee grounds. Nothing she had eaten had looked anywhere near similar to that and a streak of pure fear shot through Dolcetto’s heart. For all he knew, she could have been hacking up her own organs. He wasted no time in banging on the door, screaming for anybody to come get his pup and help her.

 

By the time anyone showed up Nina had passed out, the door was dented, and Dolcetto had broken his hand. He barely noticed the pain, fearful his kid was going to die.

 

Dolcetto, Martel, and the rest waited for three days. Nina didn’t answer the nightly howls. Laboratory Five was beginning to feel like a truly hopeless place. 

 

Dolcetto’s hand had been tended to shortly after Nina was taken away, but he couldn’t use it yet. Not that he needed to. There wasn’t much to do without a kid to take care of and keep them all distracted from their own misery.

 

On the fourth day with no sign of Nina, Dolcetto finally broke down and cried. He welcomed Martel’s cold form as she draped herself over his hunched back, her breath on the back of his neck a comfort. The dog in him had feared the snake at first, screaming danger every time she got too close. She had been around longer than him though, and he had been new to the foreign instincts when they had met. Eventually they became friends of necessity. Now the dog viewed the snake as his mate and what was human of Dolcetto felt just the same. 

 

He wondered why Nina hadn’t feared Martel at first. Maybe because she was young and didn’t perceive real danger yet. Maybe it was because her mind was entirely human with the dog being restrained to her body and not brain. 

 

“She’ll be fine. Remember when I had scale-rot? They won’t let a lab rat as interesting as her die.” Martel assured, a cruel voice of reason.

 

 _There are worse things than death here._ Dolcetto thought, but kept it in his head.

 

The thought was interrupted as one of the scientists called for Number Eighteen, which was assigned to Dolcetto. He went to the door and let himself be collared and shackled, careful with his hand as he could be.

 

 

 

Nina slept through most of her healing process. She was kept heavily sedated, and when she was finally conscious she was alone. The lights were on, bright enough to hurt her eyes. She was muzzled as usual, but not strapped down or caged. There was a tightness around her neck, a chain collar instead of the annoying plastic cone. 

 

She wasn’t given time to process her surroundings further before the collar tightened, prompting her to her paws. She had no choice but to follow where she was led. She was stopped after having to step up onto a platform and the leash was tied to a bar above her.

 

Slowly, the floor beneath her began to move, causing the collar to choke her for a moment before she realised she needed to start walking. Her hips and shoulders ached in the process, but she was used to that more than she was to having anything around her neck. 

 

After about an hour of walking, the platform sped up and Nina had to trot to keep up. She was tiring, stumbling a bit over her paws.

 

“Speed it up.” A voice rang out sternly from somewhere behind her.

 

It was her only warning before she had to run. Her hips and shoulders immediately screamed in protest. 

 

“Stop… St-stop…” Nina whispered, exertion making it harder than normal to speak.

 

“Shut up.” Responded the person.

 

“Plea...ease…”

 

“Speed it up.”

 

Nina had to run even faster, lungs burning and her entire body in agony. Her tongue fell from her open maw as she struggled to keep up. She had no breath left to try to speak. She found a rhythm after a few minutes, falling into mindless motion as she became used to her top speed. She still hurt, but it was pushed to the back of her mind as she focused. Soon she almost felt a bit floaty.

 

“Speed it up.”

 

The platform sped up, and just like that Nina lost the runner’s high she had found. Her paws gave way under her, unable to push further. The chain around her neck tightened quickly as she felt, cutting off her air and dragging her along the moving belt. Her fur tore away in places, leaving exposed skin to burn raw against the still moving tread. She screamed. Nobody came to help her.

 

“Mark that. Twenty-two miles per hour, poor stamina. Put it back on the table and check its blood. Bring the other dog, he needs his hand checked again.” The man said, and finally Nina was removed from where she’d been allowed to hang.

 

She was strapped down, not even trying to fight it as she had grown accustomed to the rough treatment. The table was better than the treadmill. She was thankful they set her down with her roadrashed side facing up, but it was only a small bit of relief as needles and tubes were hooked into her neck. She hated blood work. It always made her dizzy and she was tired enough already. She let her eyes close, tears falling as a quiet involuntary sob escaped her before she could stop it.

 

Nina’s ears perked at the sound of the door opening a few minutes after. Her nose was clogging from crying so she couldn’t tell who had entered by scent, but the voice that called to her was familiar and she instantly felt safer.

 

“Nina?” Dolcetto greeted, taking a step toward her before being yanked back.

 

Nina whined in response, not willing to speak as she knew it would only make the scientists angry with her. A feral growl escaped the man as he was pulled to a chair and shoved to sit. His eyes didn’t leave the girl on the table. He could see raw, pink skin on her side and wondered what had happened to cause that. It looked painful. The red tubes draining blood from her neck and thigh angered him further.

 

Dolcetto wasn’t outright rebellious, but he did make sure to be a little less cooperative than usual to let the doctors know exactly how pissed he was. If he started a fight he knew Nina would probably be hurt further just to get him to behave, but there was nothing to stop him from running his mouth.

 

“You strap human kids to a table too, or just the puppies?” Dolcetto snorted angrily as his hand was unwrapped. He gained no response and continued. “I guess you would have had to put a human kid in a cage to make a chimera as young as she is. They don’t put little girls on Death Row, was she adopted or kidnapped?”

 

“It wasn’t made here. Shut your yapping.” The doctor huffed, rolling his eyes.

 

 _Well that was certainly new information._ “Who the hell else is making human chimera’s? I thought it was just this place that was that twisted.”

 

“We aren’t twisted, Eighteen. We’re alchemists and we’re scientists and learning is more important to the country than your weak nerves.” The doctor answered, rewrapping the injury a bit roughly. “Keep in mind that I can always dissect Sixteen, or even Thirty-two since you seem to have taken a liking to it. Now, shut up.”

 

Dolcetto had expected the threat. The scientists knew him to be rowdy, but loyal as well and more likely to behave himself if they threatened Martel. He hadn’t ever really tried to hide who held affection for, so of course the whole lab probably knew by now that Nina was Dolcetto’s pup and blood be damned. 

 

It wasn’t like he and Martel could have their own children, since chimeras were always sterile. They wouldn’t have wanted a kid in this place anyway, but one had been dropped into their laps regardless. They just had to try and make the best of it. At least now he knew his pup was still alive.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Labratory 5 explodes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eSCAHPé

Nina was returned with Dolcetto after his hand was fixed and her bloodwork was done. She felt sick, but this time it was just nausea from the dizziness blood loss caused. As time went on, things got steadily worse for her and the rest of the Chimeras. More tests, more running until she felt like her heart would explode and her bones would break. Eventually her hair was all cut short and she knew it was a silly thing to cry over but she cried anyway.

Then, one day, the crying just stopped. She couldn’t cry anymore. She could no longer be sure whether she was upset or if she could feel anything anymore. She loved her found family of course, but the more she grew the more she realised that they all must be in Hell. Maybe it would have been better if the scary man that killed her father had killed her too.

She could do it. If she wanted, she could rip herself open and sleep forever where there would be no more tests, no more needles, no more strapped tables, no more cone, no more anything. No Mommy or Daddy or Roa or Bido or even Ulchi either… That was the only thing stopping her.

Three more people joined the little family over time, other Chimeras. Their names were Henry, Benji, and Francis. They were made with lizard, cat, and goat respectively. Henry didn’t look like Bido despite being made with the same kind of animal. He just looked like a man. Dolcetto told her it was because the scientists had gotten more practice so Henry was better made. Bido took offense, but his dramatics made it clear he was joking.

Nina met another man while testing. He had sharp teeth and she wondered if he was made with a shark, but she didn’t try to talk to him. Testing time was quiet time, even if it was night. He was chained to the wall across from her cage and they were both listening to the song.

Neither of them had expected the wall to explode, taking the man with it. Nina yelped as her cage was knocked down, the door breaking open with the force of the blast. She wasted no time leaving the cage and going to the door which was ajar.

Red sparks stopped her, curiosity causing her to turn and watch the strange light as the man sat up.

“Damn, that hurt.” He said gruffly, standing. “Music stopped. That’s a shame.”

Nina wasn’t sure if she was afraid or in awe. Maybe it was both as the man stepped forward to pet her. Before he got close enough to touch, she flinched away. He didn’t try to pet her after that. A distant howl broke the silence, and Nina immediately raised her own voice and left the room. The man ran behind her, following. 

“You got friends?” He asked. “I’ve always wanted dogs.” 

Nina ignored him, listening for the song to start up again to tell her where to go. She had to run down two flights of stairs before it was clear enough to determine actual direction. Finally she came to the door that lead to her family, which was locked. She reared up and scratched at the door and whined. 

“Daddy! Mommy! I’m here!” She yelled, hearing the others on the other side.

“Holy shit you’re a kid!” The man exclaimed in disbelief, then there was more red light as his arms turned black. “Alright stand back! I’m breaking the door!” He yelled, giving everyone a second to back off before he plunged his hands right into the metal and ripped the door free.

Dolcetto was the first out, checking over his pup to make sure she was okay. The others were more reserved, cautious of the newcomer.

“Alright the building’s blown. You guys can either scatter like roaches and wait for the military to pick you off one by one _or_ you can all come with me. Safety in numbers right? You can all call me Greed.” The man called into the room.

Martel looked to Greed, then Nina and back again. “You brought her here?”

“More like she brought me. I just kept her safe along the way.” Greed admitted. “I do know the way out though.”

There was silence for a moment until Dolcetto finally stopped fussing, finding nina no more hurt than usual. A few opened stitches and needle-tears were the norm by now. He removed the plastic cone from the girl’s neck, tossing it away, then stood.

“You don’t smell human. I’m not sure what you are but I guess you’ve got to be one of us.” Said Dolcetto.

Roa nodded. “We stick together. Lead the way, if you really know.”

Greed nodded and set on his way out, calling back to the others that they had better keep pace with him or they would be left behind. Roa quickly hoisted Nina onto his shoulders and ran to follow. Her squall of pain rang out loudly in the halls, but it quickly faded into a sort of determined growl. Dolcetto and Martel made sure to stay close behind the bull where it was easiest to be in her line of sight even if her eyesight wasn’t the best.

“You were so brave. We’re gonna get out now and we’ll be safe and you can have all the toys and pencils you want, and paper too! I’ll get you a whole damn coloring book and cake! Do you remember your birthday, pup? You’re behind a few years I’m sure.” Dolcetto told her. “Shit, can you even eat cake?”

“Vanilla’s probably safe but we’ll get a book or ask a vet.” Greed called back over his shoulder.

“We’re not taking her to a stupid fucking vet.” Martel hissed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the road to Dublith.

The distraction of the explosion and the cover of night made it relatively easy for Greed and the Chimeras to slip away once he had lead them out. They continued to move all night before finding an abandoned shed to hide in for the day. It was cramped and smelled awful, but it was better than what they had to deal with before. They took shifts keeping guard and sleeping, thankfully running into no complications over the course of the day and moving on again the next night. 

Greed said they were going to Dublith. Why, he called it a hunch. Nina had taken a liking to him so Dolcetto decided to trust him. Martel trusted her two dogs’ judgement but was a little wary. The rest continued to follow suit. 

It would take several weeks to make it to their destination on foot, mainly because Nina was slow but insistent on walking on her own whenever she could. Greed always made sure to stop and rest when he noticed her getting too tired. That was the main reason Dolcetto fell in line with him so easily. Despite a hard shell, Greed obviously cared.

Soon, those that could pass for human would go out into towns and do odd jobs for money, either manual labor or prostitution in Greed’s case. The money was then pooled and separated. Most of it was saved, with the smaller portion going to pay for food. Even the cheapest, smallest portions of food was a feast to them and freedom made it taste all the better. They didn't mind Greed was keeping the majority, certain he had a plan for them all.

With the better and more diverse options, Nina turned out to be very partial to meats of any sort. She liked some sweets, but most made her stomach churn in an unpleasant way and Dolcetto wouldn’t even let her try chocolate. Peanut butter was a safe enough treat in small amounts. Vegetables were fine for the most part as well, but some fruits caused almost instantaneous vomiting. She was a good sport. Taste testing things was much less stressful than lab test.

Some of the extra money even went to getting Nina a teddy bear when Greed declared they had enough to pick and buy weapons. The bear was old and faded, patched in some places. Nina loved it anyway and was happy to carry it in her mouth as they walked. Soon she even had enough energy to try leading the pack if it was a good day. Her speech was becoming easier as well.

Dolcetto thought it amazing how much a difference a scrap of cloth and stuffing could make in his pup’s mood. The bear was named Alexander and Nina demanded it get goodnight kisses from Dolcetto and Martel, just as she did. He was surprised when after a short time Nina and Alexander got goodnight kisses from their de facto leader. Nina had asked only once, but it became a nightly occurrence anyway.

Greed had begun expressing a more than friendly interest in Martel around the same time he had become involved in Nina’s bedtime ritual. Dolcetto didn’t mind this in itself. Martel didn’t belong to him and Greed was a little strange, but still an okay guy. What _did_ bother Dolcetto was the fact that Greed had shown interest in him too. He had absolutely no idea how to address that or even if he should. He wasn’t sure if it was just simple canine affection he was feeling or something more. He decided to try to ignore the emotions for the moment. The girl clearly had other ideas, being incredibly perceptive.

“Daddy?” Nina asked one night as Dolcetto was tucking a blanket around her. 

“Yeah Pup?” He replied.

“Can Greed be my daddy too?”

Greed could be heard choking on his beer a few meters away. Dolcetto was likewise taken off guard by the question. Martel just started laughing.

“You only get one Daddy, kid.” Greed answered once he had managed to stop himself from drowning in his drink. “I could be your Papa, but that’s up to you and your parents.”

Martel looked to Dolcetto, raising a brow. Dolcetto shrugged and sighed. Nobody was human and it wasn’t as if he and Martel were married. Social norms of love being between two people and only two people seemed ridiculous when they were all practically animals. Greed cared for them all, Nina especially. Who cared if it wasn't a normal arrangement when their daughter looked like a deformed dog?

“It’s alright with me.” Martel answered.

“I guess I don’t mind.” Dolcetto agreed. “Up to you, Nina.”

“I like Greed.” Said Nina, drowsy. “I’d like to have a Mommy, Daddy, and Papa.”

Just like that, they became a family with three parents. Greed began sleeping in their pile when everyone grouped up for warmth. They made it to Dublith within the next week.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some memories don't fade so easily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PTSD is a hell of a shit.

The last stretch of travel was the hardest. The group was only a day from Dublith and Greed had gotten just a bit impatient. He didn’t mean to be, he was just excited. To be fair the rest of the pack was excited too. It would be good when they didn’t need to walk all night anymore. It was a quicker pace than they were all used to, but nobody minded. The faster they got to Dublith, the faster they could rest. Spirits were high, even for Nina despite the fact she was getting tired. 

“Speed it up kid, we’re losin’ moonlight!” Greed called cheerfully. 

_Speed it up._

_Nina didn’t want to run anymore. It made her back hurt so much and the tube they put in her neck always made her feel nauseous after. She hated the treadmill so much. She could never keep up with it and the collar choked her when she went too slow and the belt dragged her and it hurt. She couldn’t do it anymore. She didn’t want to._

Nina had stopped walking after the comment. It went noticed immediately, as Dolcetto always kept an eye on her. He could smell the sudden adrenaline rolling off of his pup in waves and Nina was visibly trembling. He wondered what brought it on. She had even dropped her bear, which was unheard of since she’d gotten it.

“Greed! Hold up for a second.” Dolcetto called, which got Martel’s attention as well.

“Something wrong?” Greed asked, turning to walk back toward the back of the pack.

Dolcetto didn’t answer, instead crouching down to the child’s eye level. She was staring blankly ahead, and at the closer range he could tell the shaking had worsened even just after the few seconds he cad called out. He frowned, and gently called her name a few times. Nina didn’t respond. Slowly, he reached to touch her face. 

The reaction to contact was immediate. Nina yelped and tried to run away, though Greed was in her path and caught her. None of them expected the feral snarl that came out of her, nor when her teeth found skin and started to shred.

“FUCK!” Greed shouted, in pain but not willing to let go. He didn’t want to raise his shield either, given the fact that Nina would hurt her teeth if she tried to bite the hardened carbon too. His skin could heal about as fast as she was tearing it. He couldn’t let her go for fear she would hurt herself instead. Unlike the others, Greed’s skin would grow back.

It took the better part of five minutes before Nina stopped trying to escape the arms around her, violent outburst turning quickly into tears. Soft whimpers of “No more,” eventually broke through the sobs. Greed gently put her down, red sparks knitting his flesh back together. Nina crumpled, unable to stand by herself for the moment. A fair few minutes passed, and the girl had exhausted herself enough to lose consciousness.

“What was that about?” Greed wondered aloud, scratching the back of his neck.

“Something probably reminded her of a test.” Martel guessed quietly, sitting next to Nina and stroking her hair. “We’ve all been through hell.”

“I think she may have been the worst off of all of us…” Dolcetto added. “Roa! Can you carry the pup?”

“Sure thing,” Roa confirmed, walking over and scooping Nina up into his arms, cradling her.

Martel stuck close to Roa as the pack started moving again, and tore her shirt to try cleaning Greed’s blood off of Nina’s sleeping face. White fur stained easily, so it took quite a bit of effort. First thing on the to-do list when they got to where the homunculus was taking them would definitely have be to give Nina a bath. Hell, they all needed to bathe at this point. 

 

Nina woke up in a real bed for the first time in over a year. There was even a blanket, old and worn, but soft. Her bear was tucked under her foreleg and she could smell all three of her parents in the same room with her. For the moment Nina was happy. She was almost scared to move, just in case doing so would break the spell of peaceful calm. Everything was so perfect.

“You’ve got a hell of a bite, kid.” Greed said fondly, when he noticed Nina was awake.

“Bite?” She wondered aloud.

“Don’t worry about it.” Martel said, elbowing Greed right in the sternum, prompting him to let out an airy grunt.

Nina felt part of the mattress sink as Dolcetto sat down at her side. He pressed his wrist to her nose for a moment, then the pads on her paws. He was close enough that she could see the shadow of a worried frown on his face, before a smile covered it up.

“Well I think your fever is gone now.”

“Fever?” Nina asked. She couldn’t remember being sick, but then she couldn’t even remember how they got here.

“You fainted on the road. Started burning up about a mile from here and you’ve been conked out for a day and a half.” Martel explained, sitting down on the other side of Nina. “We got a room, snuck you in, and ran cold water on you for a while. Then we put you to bed when you dried off.”

Nina nodded, pushing herself up. A sharp pang went up her spine and she whined, flopping over onto her side again. She could feel the beginnings of a migraine coming on and pulled her bear closer. She shut her eyes tightly, trying not to cry. A hand began carding through her hair. She couldn’t tell whose, but it was still nice. Contented for the moment, she went back to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Now in Dublith, Greed had managed to save enough of what the pack had pooled together to buy a small warehouse. The gang quickly did what they could to turn the place into a bar, and set out to making mostly honest money. The adults still did odd jobs on the side. They needed to afford the alcohol in order to sell it of course, but they quickly turned a profit when the locals realized how helpful the staff was even outside of the bar.

There was a room up front that served as the public bar, the back room that served as storage, and then the upstairs became the communal living space for the entire gang. They were used to sharing one room after the lab, but this time they had the option to leave at any time. 

Nina could go up the stairs just fine, but had trouble getting down again without her back hurting. Eventually she started to just stay in the storage room instead. Dolcetto, Martel, and Greed joined her most nights. After a while, though, Nina began to insist that she could sleep on her own. 

Nina wasn’t allowed in the bar, which was annoying. She had no interest in drinking, she just wanted room to play. She knew she couldn’t go outside because her family didn’t want to attract military attention. She understood, but it still wasn’t fair.

Bido couldn’t go outside or in the bar either, so at least Nina had his company while everyone else was busy. He played with her sometimes, though there really wasn’t much room to do anything but small boardgames that she had to struggle to see properly. Coloring was fun too, but even that got stale. Now that she was eating regularly Nina just had too much energy that she didn’t know what to do with.

“I want to go outside.” Nina told Dolcetto, who sighed. He was tired of telling her why that couldn’t happen, but before he could open his mouth, Nina continued. “At night! Nobody awake to see. Like before.”

“We were on the run before. Plenty of people are awake at night, Pup.” Dolcetto explained for the third time that week.

“I’m not a pup!” Nina snarled, countering her point as she shook her head. “I’m a person! Just like you.”

“We’re not people.” Dolcetto corrected. “We’re animals. I can pass for a person but you can’t and I don’t want the boys in blue carting you back to where we were.”

“We are too so people!” Nina snapped, and lowered her head. She could feel tears springing forth but she didn’t want to let them fall. She wasn’t a baby anymore. She was almost ten years old now. “People don’t have to be humans.”

“Not everybody understands that… Nina, I’m sorry. I just want to keep you safe…” Dolcetto said quietly, regretting the fact he had raised his voice. Nina was just a kid. It was only natural that she would be getting cabin fever. Kids needed room to grow and dogs needed room to run around. Just sour luck for Nina that she was both. 

Nina got closer to Greed at this time. He wouldn’t let her go outside either; Martel and Dolcetto got last word on rules for Nina. At least Greed agreed with her, though, and that made her feel a bit better.

 

It took a long time for a little girl to figure out how to open a door without the use of hands. She sort of had fingers, but they only worked well enough to hold a pen or something small. Her hand-paws had decent control, but no real strength so a doorknob was difficult. On the other end, her mouth had the strength, but hardly any control past speech and picking up large things. Nina was smart though, and figured out within an hour that she could put her paw on the knob and her mouth on her paw to get the best out of both.

As soon as Nina got the door open, she became anxious. Everyone else was asleep, and she could see the lack of light that meant it was night time outside. Nobody would see her. Her family wouldn’t even know she was gone; She wasn’t going far and would be back as soon as she had gotten a good run out of the endeavor. And yet… she knew if she put one paw outside that she would be disobeying a Very Important Rule.

The smell of fresh air, the sound of crickets, and the calming dark was hard to drag herself away from now that she was just a few inches away from it all. All that stood in her way was a wide open door. Daddy and Mommy might get mad, but what would Papa say?

“Fuck it.” Nina decided, and stepped over the threshold of the back door of the Devil’s Nest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let Nina say Fuck


End file.
